LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The University of Hawai'i men's basketball team is taking hard luck to a new level.

The Rainbow Warriors were stranded in Dallas last night due to a canceled flight, and will try to arrive in Las Cruces today in time for a Western Athletic Conference game against New Mexico State.

The 'Bows are scheduled to play the Aggies in the Pan American Center at 4:05 p.m. (Hawai'i time). It will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1420 AM.

They have a flight scheduled to leave Dallas at 10:30 a.m. (Central time). At best, the 'Bows could arrive in Las Cruces around seven hours before tip-off.

"Seems like if something can go wrong, it does when it comes to our road trips," senior guard Riley Luettgerodt said. "I've never been in a situation like this. We're in a different city the night before a game. It's crazy."

Hawai'i is already on a five-game losing streak, including a 69-62 loss at last-place Louisiana Tech on Thursday.

The 'Bows were scheduled to depart Shreveport, La., yesterday morning, but a snowstorm created several delays. They instead took a four-hour bus ride to Dallas, but could not secure any flights out of the Dallas airport last night.

"In the old WAC, we had some weather issues in places like Wyoming," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "But we haven't had to go through anything like this recently. It's been a rough day."

The 'Bows are 11-17 overall and in fifth place in the WAC at 7-8. Today is the last day of the regular season in the conference, and Hawai'i has secured the No. 5 seed for next week's WAC Tournament.

New Mexico State is 18-13 and 11-4. A victory today would give the Aggies a share of the regular-season WAC championship. As many as four teams could share the title (Boise State has already clinched a share; Utah State and Nevada are also in the running).

It also happens to be senior night for five Aggies, and New Mexico State is out to avenge a loss at Hawai'i on Jan. 31.

"I'm sure they had this game circled on their calendar since we beat them," Luettgerodt said. "It's going to be a huge game for them."

It is also big for Hawai'i, from a momentum standpoint. The 'Bows have not lost six consecutive games since the 1998-99 season.

"There's been a lot of tough bounces recently," Luettgerodt said. "You would think it would start to go our way."

Because of the travel snafu yesterday and the impromptu stayover in Dallas, the 'Bows did not practice last night. They will probably have to skip a morning shootaround in the Pan American Center today as well.

"I'm sure it will have an affect," Nash said. "We don't have a place to practice, we can't shoot in the arena. We're just going to show up and play. That's a lot to ask."

Instead of practice, the 'Bows had a lengthy film session and scouting report last night in a Dallas hotel.

If anything, Hawai'i can turn to its 94-71 victory over the Aggies in January. It was UH's highest-scoring game this season, and point guard Matt Gibson had 20 points and 11 assists.

"Hawai'i did a phenomenal job there," NMSU head coach Marvin Menzies said. "Gibson was a man among boys. He manhandled us ... he's obviously someone we're concerned with."

But the 'Bows have their own concerns about the Aggies.

New Mexico State has six players averaging double-figure points, led by senior forward Justin Hawkins' 17.0 per game.

"I think everybody started to sacrifice themselves and started to think more about the team," Hawkins said. "Because of that, we've been able to win some more games."

Since the loss at Hawai'i, New Mexico State has won seven of eight games.

"I think sometimes you gain from a loss and that was such a blow to us at the time," Menzies said. "To get manhandled like that was a wake-up call."

Win or lose today, the 'Bows will stay in Las Cruces through next week for the WAC Tournament.

"We were clicking on all cylinders the last time we played them," Luettgerodt said. "We'll have to do the same thing to beat them again."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.